Shizuoka Prefecture has announced that all major routes above the 5th Station of Mount Fuji will remain closed during the 2020 climbing season in a measure aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus. The last time all major routes were closed during the climbing season was back in 1960 when the prefecture began managing the routes.
Last year’s 2019 climbing season started from the first of July through to September 10th with over 236,000 climbers making their way to the summit. Due to the busy paths and packed mountain huts that come as part of the climb, Japan’s greatest mountain must be closed this year to avoid infection risks.
So, what exactly is closed?
All major routes to the summit and other trails above the 5th station will be closed this year.
Closed routes and trails include:
- Yoshida Trail above the 5th Station
- Subashiri Trail above the 5th Station
- Gotemba Trail above the new 5th Station
- Fujinomiya Trail above the 5th Station
- Ohachi-meguri (summit crater loop) Trail
All public facilities will also be out of service throughout the season as maintaining adequate security levels will be too difficult during the pandemic.
Closed facilities include:
- First-aid centers
- Toilets
- Mountain huts
- Rest houses
- Fujisan Sengen Shrine
- Post offices
- Information centers
Private vehicle access and all public transport services will be unavailable during the season, with all roads to the fifth station also closed.
Closed access facilities:
- Roads to 5th Station
- Private vehicle access to 5th Station
- Public transport to 5th Station
- Parking lots at 5th Station
- Parking lots at transport bases
Plan your future climb
As unfortunate as it is that we can’t climb the 3,776-meter high mountain in 2020, let’s think of this as a well-deserved rest year for the mountain. The prefectures that own the routes plan to carry out trail repairs and measures against falling rocks for the next climbing term. As something to look forward to in the future, take time now by reading up on our articles about Mount Fuji below to help you plan your future climb!
Further Mount Fuji Reading
For more information on the trails this year contact:
Yoshida Trail: +55-223-1315 (Prefectural office in charge of the Mt. Fuji World Cultural Heritage Site)
Fujinomiya, Subashiri, Gotemba Trails: +54-221-3747 (Prefectural office in charge of the Mt. Fuji World Cultural Heritage Site)
Ohachi-meguri (summit crator loop) trail: +55-931-3261 (Ministry of the Environment Numazu Ranger Office)
Share your best Mount Fuji climbing stories with us in the comments below!
